Music for Youth returned to Birmingham to showcase the UK’s brightest young musicians in a 5 day music festival across the city, involving more than 11,000 young people.

The week-long festival saw more than 8,000 talented young musicians take to the stage in some of Birmingham’s most iconic concert halls, including Symphony Hall, Town Hall and the Adrian Boult Hall in the Birmingham Conservatoire.

Throughout the week, festival goers were treated to a mix of musical styles including jazz, classical, indie, folk, world and more. The Festival vibe spread across the city with free pop up performances as part of the Festival Fringe, including the Festival Tent in Centenary Square, generously sponsored by the NUT.

Highlights also included performances from local arts organisations – DanceXchange, Jazzlines and The Rep Youth Theatre - as well as some of the UK’s renowned youth music ensembles, such as the National Youth Jazz Combo. Audiences were also captivated by special guest performances from the Royal Marines Band Service who performed a marching display in Centenary Square and the Royal Northern College of Music Session Orchestra who closed the Festival Tent on Saturday with an energetic set of popular tunes.

Thank you to all the young musicians and group leaders for joining us at the festival and telling us about their experience, as well as the thousands of supporters, families and friends who came to the festival to enjoy the music. MFY would also like to take this opportunity to thank its sponsors and supporters for making the event possible.